fly free of your cage of words
by farfetched4
Summary: There's a scandal flying around Unova about her, and all she wants to be is free. [Rosa/Yancy, LightPinkShipping]


The prompt this was inspired by: '_Nate and/or Rosa get caught into a major scandal in Pokewood for whatever reasons. Maybe they tried breaking out of their family-friendly typecasting and acted in a racy or villainous role. Maybe it was discovered they were dating Hugh/Nancy/Christoph and their fans are pissed. Maybe they did a racy photoshoot?_'

* * *

She feels trapped. It's not necessarily a new feeling; since she became Champion and an actor, there's always been people following her, asking her questions, wanting autographs and pictures and dates and everything else she's not quite ready to give the world; but it had waned somewhat with the rise of newer stars and people moving on somewhat. It had been relatively quiet, in a way.

But then. Someone just _had_ to spot them in a cafe. Just _had_ to take a picture, just _had_ to post it to a tabloid, just _had_ to make a big fuss over it. Now her phone is ringing off the hook, and every moment she hears the voices at her window grow louder, the knocking grow more incessant, and she curls up tighter into her ball and presses her hands over her ears and feels ever more childish in doing so.

But really, who would want to go out into the swarm? The arena, it feels like, with every chasing shark gripping a microphone recorder and a vicious pair of eyes, each more eager than the next to get the truth, the next biggest scoop, and they'll make it up if they have to, it's not like they care what it does to her. No, if she goes out there, she'll get drowned and bitten to death, all the cry of '_Is it true?!_' because _apparently_ it's illegal to be seen in a cafe with Nancy and _apparently_ they were seen getting closer than usual and _Oh-Em-Jee is Rosa a lesbian?!_

No, Rosa can't go out there, first since she looks horrendous, up all night haunted by them, crying on and off on her moments of fitful sleep that can't be called rest, and second, _because she can't deny it_.

It would shock Unova to know that their beloved Champion was lesbian. Wouldn't it? Why wouldn't it? It's not like they could just _get over it and move on_, could they? No. Don't be stupid. It's Unova, and if Unova is known for anything, it's for gossip. No one keeps their opinion to themselves, they all shout about it from every rooftop available, and every floor too. She can almost hear her manager ranting now about how her rating will drop because of this, _now go out there and deny it, fight your corner, keep them guessing!_ because funny enough, that is precisely what is filtering through the answering machine in the hall, why exactly she took the offer up on this Nimbasan flat is still unknown to her.

But then, that it had pretty good security and was close to the train station and Yancy living down the hall may have had something to do with it.

It's also that she doesn't _want_ to deny it. It's been a few months now, and she's sick of walking with Nancy in public, inundated with fans and wanting not to be, wanting to be a normal couple with normal problems and, you know, _able to hold hands without a scandal_? She's sick of dipping into dark corners of the studio for chaste, swift kisses, she's sick of having to hide out in the toilets to gaze all she wants to, she hates having to separate and go to different rooms each night, a longing glance all she has to go to bed with. And then she's sick of waking up in the morning on her own, going to the studio some days and having to pretend nothing is between her and Nancy but friendship.

She dreams of it sometimes, of going to watch fireworks in the amusement park with her, gloved hands entwined, standing close, sharing a hot fresh sugared donut, smiling together, getting on the Ferris Wheel and watching the world go on without them down below, to walk home together and laugh about how cold it is, and then get into the same bed and curl up warm. _Together_. It's the separation she's had enough of, the fame making her so achingly lonely she wonders if the dreams she holds are the only thing keeping her going, unable even to phone Nancy due to the whole thing with her phone calls possibly being monitored.

Hearing her front door open makes her still uneasily, hoping it's one person and not some stranger who's managed to get in, worse still one of the rabid fans who doesn't even think in their supposed devotion that suffocates more than it flatters. She peers over the covers of the bed, setting honey brown eyes on the door, her shaky breathing held as the footsteps patter closer, not seeming heavy or hurried, but quick enough that they're not hanging around, going straight to her room. Then the door swings open and seconds later pink hair swarms her vision and she has trouble breathing for another reason, a mouth and body firmly over hers for a short while, before Yancy pulls back and surveys her sharply. The pink-haired idol sighs, rolls onto the bed next to Rosa and finds her hand in the swathes of duvets and blankets, not really necessary but comforting all the same, holds it between hers and smiles weakly.

"Sorry we got caught, huh?"  
Rosa makes a non-committal hum, not trusting herself to speak, then ruins the illusion by sniffing. Yancy laughs slightly, looks concerned, and pats her lightly on the head, hand lingering until she settles for twirling a lock of Rosa's hair, free from its usual bindings.  
"It will blow over eventually. Whatever you say. You know, I once had something like this, because someone read too much into me and Cristoph getting too into character for this romance movie… It's kind of not the same though, I could laugh that off as nothing, but…" she stops, clearly not sure where to go with it. Rosa takes a breath in, begins at a whisper.

"I never wanted to be famous, really… I liked acting because it was fun, and Pokémon battling was a good way of getting money, but then the whole Team Plasma thing happened and everyone expects things of you, so I had to challenge the league, had to go further with acting, but I… I just wanted to be normal! I wanted to be like any other teenager, having a hard time of the third gym and failing the audition, going shopping with friends and going on dates…" She leaves out the part of wanting to be normal in the way of wanting dates with guys, not girls, but she's upset enough already. Yancy, however, smiles as though she's got a plan.

"Well then. We need a break. Let's be those normal people! Let's go on holiday Rosa, and have normal dates, not be seen as celebrities."

Rosa blinks for a moment. Escape hadn't been something she'd thought of, not like that…  
"Where would we go?" she whispers, trying not to sound even a little excited, although her voice comes out a little higher than intended, sentence a little rushed.

"Anywhere really, but… Hoenn has some nice places, some hotsprings and such. I've heard Kalos has a ton of cafés and shops. I don't mind." She thinks about it for a moment. Maybe people will have heard about her wherever she goes. Maybe there is no running really, and they'll all be just as hyped when they return, particularly if they return together. But then…

"Hot springs sound nice…" Rosa murmurs, voice slightly breathy as she thinks about it, really thinks about freedom from most of the pressure that's been getting to her since before this. Yancy grins, hugs her and presses a quick kiss to her lips, before sitting up and dialling her manager's number, evident in the determined look her face takes on. The victorious smirk Rosa gets a few minutes later is enough to inform her of the result.

So maybe it wouldn't be permanent. So maybe she'll have to come back to the raging paparazzi. But at least she will have gotten what she wanted, if only for a week or two, and that sounds like a good start to her.

* * *

_Hope you liked it! The world obviously just needed more yuri._


End file.
